The advent of huge crude carriers and deep water terminals presents potential hazards that must be examined and dealt with. The extensive but scattered published information on these offshore ports is distilled in this volume, along with some conclusions from the authors' research. To aid in developing policies on deep water terminals, the economic, social, political, technological, and environmental perspectives are described. Chapters are devoted to the following topics: The Demand for Petroleum Imports to the United States and the Challenge of Deep Water Terminals; The Location of Deep Water Terminals; Economic Aspects of Deep Water Terminal Systems; The Environmental Perspective; Issues, Actors, and Onshore Impacts; The Role of the Federal Government; Labor Aspects of Deep Water Terminal Systems; and Meeting the Challenge. (90 references) (BYB)